The whistle is about to blow for the next soccer camp for children with hearing loss

Stäfa, Switzerland31 May 2017

Phonak and Bundesliga youth team player Simon Ollert are extending their successful training scheme

Stäfa, Switzerland (31 May, 2017) – The soccer camp held in 2016 for children with hearing loss was an all-round success and a source of great excitement for all in attendance. This successful scheme is now being expanded to last twice as long, with added places for participants and an extra helping of personal and sporting highlights. The aim is to help even more young soccer enthusiasts with hearing loss make progress in their personal development. The event, which is being hosted by Phonak, the leading provider of hearing solutions, and Bundesliga youth team player Simon Ollert, will take place in Ettal, Upper Bavaria, over five days (June 14–18). Simon Ollert is the only athlete with profound hearing loss playing professional soccer in any of the German-speaking countries. This early summer event will see the 20-year-old training up to 45 children between the ages of 10 and 14 from Germany and other European countries. Attendance at the camp has been organized in close cooperation with leading pediatric audiologists.

Enthusiastic feedback for round one

Excited reactions from participants to the event’s kick-off last year ranged from “I have never done something so amazing” to “when is the next camp? I’ll be back like a boomerang!”. Parents were extremely impressed by the warmth and commitment with which every child’s personality was acknowledged and their sporting skills incorporated. The unmistakable improvement in the team’s sporting proficiency over such a short period of time exceeded all expectations, and this year’s soccer camp is likewise set to
feature excitement, energy, enthusiasm and countless emotional moments. The atmosphere at the last camp has been captured in a video clip: lights, camera, action!

Team spirit and soccer fever

In response to the overwhelming success of the last camp, the event has been extended from two-and-a-half days to a total of five, allowing Phonak, Simon Ollert and the team of trainers to devote even more time to promoting the personal and sporting growth of the young soccer fans – and even more children with hearing loss will have an opportunity to attend the camp. Professionally run training units will help foster team spirit, impart “feel” for the ball and develop other soccer skills. “My one-on-one sessions with Simon were pretty intense,” beams one of last year’s participants, and there are plenty of young ball wizards poised to reach new heights this year too.

There is a similar focus on cultivating a sense of community in the action-packed supplementary schedule, which includes outdoor activities and many other highlights. There will also be ample opportunity to quiz Simon Ollert on his life as a professional soccer player and plenty of time to compare notes. The entire camp program will take place in and around Etttal in the picturesque surroundings of the Ammergau Alps.

Hearing aid “life hacks” for children

Just as last year, one of Phonak’s pediatric audiology experts will be on hand throughout the event to give parents and children advice. She will be answering questions and passing on valuable “life hacks” for hearing aid handling in the context of school, sport and leisure. Phonak has been developing hearing solutions for 70 years and has decades of experience in providing children with hearing instruments. The company supplies cutting-edge hearing and wireless solutions whose size, color, shape and technology can be customized to suit the daily needs of children and young people.

“Last year’s soccer camp for children with hearing loss was a complete success,” confirms Thomas Lang, Senior Vice President Phonak Marketing. “We are delighted to be able to continue this successful scheme with Simon Ollert on an even larger scale, giving even more children a chance to take part in a unique event. By pioneering such initiatives, Phonak can make an active contribution towards improving the quality of life of children with hearing loss.”

The soccer camp is close to Simon Ollert’s heart: “My own story shows just what you can achieve despite hearing loss. Ever since I can remember, I have dreamt of being a professional soccer player. It’s wonderful that Phonak is helping me to turn this unique sporting event into a reality – it’s allowing us to motivate and encourage children and young people so they can follow their dreams in life with the same determination.” You can find a link to the multi-award-winning film about Simon Ollert’s route into professional soccer here: lights, camera, action!

About Phonak

In 2017, Phonak, a member of the Sonova Group, proudly celebrates its 70th anniversary.
Headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, Phonak was born in 1947 out of a passion for taking on the most difficult hearing challenges. Seventy years later, this passion remains. As the industry’s leading provider, we offer the broadest portfolio of life-changing hearing solutions. From pediatric to profound hearing loss, we remain committed to creating hearing solutions that change people’s lives to thrive socially and emotionally. We believe in creating a world where ‘Life is on’ for everyone.

At Phonak, we believe that hearing well is essential to living life to the fullest. For 70 years, we’ve remained true to our mission, creating life-changing hearing solutions to help people thrive socially and emotionally. Life is on.

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